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Darmination:
Ability: Sheer Force
Item: Life Orb
Moves:
Fire Punch
Headbutt
Level Ground
Rock Slide
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 6HP 252Atk 252SPD
Reasoning:
Sheerforce for some reason sheer force negates the life orb recoil on sheer force boosted moves, but they still get the life orb boost. So that makes fire puncha base 195 power, headbutt a base (about) 123 power, rockslide a base 130 power, and level ground a base 104 power. For a nutral hit fire Punch, backed up by 374 attack, your dealing out: 200 damage to pokemon with defences of 300, (about) 300 damage to pokemon with 200 defence, and about 400 damage to pokemon with 150 defence (Note this is with max attack, life orb, sheer force, and a nuetral hit). I take level ground over earthquake because it is stronger than a regular earthquake. Yes earth quake is stronger with life orb, but with earthquake you get the life orb reciol because it is not boosted by sheer force. (note: sheer force boosts moves that have a positive effect. this does not include high critical hit ratio moves, brick break, move that hit all pokemon on the field, or moves that have some other method of calculating damage).

The trick is incredibly useful because of Flare Blitz, Rock Slide, and Fire Punch all getting the Sheer Force + Life Orb boost, as well as Flare Blitz and Fire Punch getting STAB, making for a very strong attack. Also does Flame Charge get the Sheer Force boost? If it does, then it DOESN'T boost speed.

No. The only things it will affect are status inflicting moves (this includes confusion and flinching) and moves that lower the opponents' stats.

For all those still wondering, Sheer Force moves do remove Life Orb recoil.

No. The only things it will affect are status inflicting moves (this includes confusion and flinching) and moves that lower the opponents' stats.

For all those still wondering, Sheer Force moves do remove Life Orb recoil.

Sheer Force only negates recoil on sheer force boosted moves only (these are also what sheer force boosts):
-Moves that up your stats
-Moves that lower the opponents stats
-Moves that have a flinch chance
-Moves that may induce a status problem
Does not include:
-Moves that have a negative effect on the user
-High critical hit ratio moves
-Moves that do not do damage
-Moves that have an added effect like Brick Break or Shadow Force
-Moves that only hit all pokemon on the field: Earthquake, Surf

Personally I don't like recoil attacks, unless they're much more powerful than the other option or the only option, and thanks to Sheer Force that's not the case. Fire Punk gains the 33% boost making it's POW 99.75 which I believe rounds down to 99 (I think all boost round down no matter what).

So it's Fire Punch 99 POW 100 Acc.
vs.
Flare Blitz 120 POW 100 Acc.

It's an easy choice depending on what you want from Darmanitan. If you're going with a boosting support move than Fire Punch is the way to go, if not then Flare Blitz away.

Support moves. Ok you have Bulk up to boost it's massive attack and help that pitiful defense so that it takes normal damage from physical attacks. Belly Drum maxes it's attack, but cutting it's HP in 1/2 means there's a good chance you'll get 1 hit KO'ed. Work Up is the other option on a mix set, but I'll get to that later. Or you could try U-Turn to scout or Will-o-wisp to cripple a physical threat on your opponent who won't be expecting that.

The last 2 moves should be your Rock type of choice, and Earthquake. Sheer Force powers up Rock Slide thanks to the flinch effect, making it a 99 POW attack as well which is 1 POW point less than Stone Edge, but with an ACC of 90 vs. Stone Edge's 80. The only debate is if you want to press your luck on a less accurate attack for a higher chance at landing a critical hit.

So moving along it's other ability.

Here's where Work up comes into play. You can boost your originals attack and SA, and once it changes forms you benefit from the SA boost thanks to Work Up, bu the problem is it limits you to either 1 or 2 moves unless your goal is to use the zen mode from from the beginning.

The best thing to do is to Belly drum your health down to half maximizing attack, and even though it looks awful, it will boost it up to threatening levels, and with the defensive boost from change forms, it can manage to survive an attack or two. Leftovers is probably the best item for this maybe Life Orb, but remember after the form change your speed drops to Snorlax levels, so you'll be attack last. Trick room support would help.

Counters

Darmanitan can't take what it can dish out. Both Defenses are 55, meaning it's it gets hit it's in trouble. Bulk Waters are the best counters. A high defense to block it's attack especially it's STAB, and a STAB of their own to threaten it. Keldo and Terrakion are the perfect counter. They resist it's STAB, and it's Rock attack, and only has to watch out for earthquake. But they have enough power to 1 hit KO it and outrun Darmanitan. Other good counters are defensive Aqua Jet's like Kabutops (just watch out fro Earthquake), Samurott, Carracosta (same as Kabutops), Blastoise, and Feraligatr.

Other counters are Speedy Dragons. They too resist it's STAB, and can outrun it and KO with Earthquake since most have it. Salamance's Intimidate really helps it. But Flygon, Garchomp, and Haxorus can do it, or Latias, Latios, and Hydreigon can do it with Surf.

Belly Drum: Zen Mode: @Leftovers
Nature: Rash (+Sp.Atk, -Sp.Def)
Ability: Zen Mode
-Belly Drum
-Fire Punch/Flare Blitz
-Solarbeam/Psychic
-Substitute/Focus Blast
EV's: 252 HP/63 Atk/63 Spd/126 Sp.Atk
Heres a bit of a gimmicky set. Belly Drum to get all the way down to Zen Mode and the plus 6 boost for Attack. Not to waste Belly Drum's effect, go with Fire Punch or Flare Blitz for physical STAB. Solarbeam for coverage and run it with Substitute. You can use Psychic for dual STAB and Focus Blast for coverage against Dark-types.

Sheer Force only negates recoil on sheer force boosted moves only (these are also what sheer force boosts):
-Moves that up your stats
-Moves that lower the opponents stats
-Moves that have a flinch chance
-Moves that may induce a status problem
Does not include:
-Moves that have a negative effect on the user
-High critical hit ratio moves
-Moves that do not do damage
-Moves that have an added effect like Brick Break or Shadow Force
-Moves that only hit all pokemon on the field: Earthquake, Surf

That is incorrect, it does not affect moves that up your stats. And it is worth noting that if an effect has a 100% chance to occur, it is not affected.

180 power move... I'm happy w/ it, recoil or not. Flare Blitz is your (180 power) stab move. U-turn allows you to switch. Rock Slide and Headbutt are filler. There good moves, but other than 105 power there's no good reason to use them.

Well, zen mode is going to be a tricky one to use, and it can't have any egg moves...
Darmanitan
ZenMode/Sitris Berry
Bold(I can't decide EVs).
-Substitute
-Flamethrower/Fireblast
-Psychic
-GrassKnot

Use substitute to get down to 50% health, and restore 25% of your health health with your sitris berry. Flamethrower, FireBlast, Psychic are all for stab, and GrassKnot hit Rock and Water types.

I based this of a belly drum snorlax set in the last thread. If there is, I never heard of it. Maybe it should be tested out.

Oh, I just thought of a belly drum set. But, it won't be legal until the pinch berries are released.
Darmanitan
Jolly/Adamant/252att/252speed
SheerForce/SalacBerry
-Substitute
-BellyDrum
-FirePunch
-BrickBreak/Earthquake

Use it like a substitute bellyzard, but save this set for later, as the salac berry is banned until it is released.

From what I know, you can get egg moves onto a Zen Mode Darmanitan using the new breeding mechanic (as long as you have a female Zen Mode Darmanitan, you can get a 40% chance of the child inheriting the Hidden Ability, which means Darumaku will get Inner Focus instead of Hustle). Anyway, here's a set I was thinking of:

The essential premise of this set is to cause as much damage as possible without dealing recoil to yourself. Thankfully, the first two moves in this set help to eliminate the Life Orb's recoil, so you can hit them with ridiculously strong moves while remaining a deadly force. With the double power boost, you can consider dropping Adamant for Jolly, in order to boost your speed a little bit higher to help you outrun certain threats.

Credit goes to Gladeshadow at the awesome Dark Valley Request Shop for the team pose. Credit goes to Tattychu at ~Tattychu's Sprite Request Shop~ for the wicked tombstones. Overworld Sprites for Pearl and SoulSilver by TheSuperZekrom

honestly, even if the Pokemon has a resistance to Darmanitan's attacks, it's still going to hurt quite bad, especially if it's packing Flare Blitz and Life Orb. It's like being hit by a speeding train in my opinion. Doesn't matter how strong your defenses are, it's still gonna hurt like hell

Personally I don't like recoil attacks, unless they're much more powerful than the other option or the only option, and thanks to Sheer Force that's not the case. Fire Punk gains the 33% boost making it's POW 99.75 which I believe rounds down to 99 (I think all boost round down no matter what).

So it's Fire Punch 99 POW 100 Acc.
vs.
Flare Blitz 120 POW 100 Acc.

Flare Blitz has a 10% burn rate, so it gets boosted sheer force, along with STAB, and (possibly) a held item. This gives Flare Blitz a base 120, with a sheer force power of 160,
and STAB brings it up to 240! Fire Punch only gets a power of 148. This difference is so huge, that Flare Blitz should always be used (except for certain occations). This is the actual difference:

I meant that those are the only moves it is useful for on Darmaniton.
And still, it will get walled by Bulky Waters and other Pokés.

Rock slide is useful. And it doesn't get walled by bulky waters. A Life Orb Jolly Flare Blitz in the Sun, despite being resisted, can 2HKO Max Defence Jellicent, and Vaporeon, and CB can 2HKO Max Defence Suicune. This thing hits like two trucks.

The only things that can really switch into a Darmanitan Flare Blitz are Flash Fire Pokémon and bulky 4x resists. However, Rain is an awesome way to power it down, and worst comes to worst you can switch Blissey into it and destroy Darmanitan with the recoil.

Last edited by Nijaskills; 21st March 2011 at 4:27 AM.

FINE. I'LL MAKE A SIGNATURE

My White team:
Reserves:

I claimed Plusle. I don't know what claiming it does, but I claimed it.

Rock slide is useful. And it doesn't get walled by bulky waters. A Life Orb Jolly Flare Blitz in the Sun, despite being resisted, can 2HKO Max Defence Jellicent, and Vaporeon, and CB can 2HKO Max Defence Suicune. This thing hits like two trucks.

Well Darmanitan can't afford to have sunny day on it's set (too frail) so it will need some building around for that to happen. And the one pokemon you fail to mention is Swampert. Good defenses, Resistance to Darmanitan's main STAB, Ground STAB to fall back on if Darmanitan gets a boost from Sunny Day and Water becomes unreliable, Swampert will make mincemeat out of this one.

Credit goes to Gladeshadow at the awesome Dark Valley Request Shop for the team pose. Credit goes to Tattychu at ~Tattychu's Sprite Request Shop~ for the wicked tombstones. Overworld Sprites for Pearl and SoulSilver by TheSuperZekrom

Well, this is my first time doing one of these, it's probably not good

Abilities:
Sheer Force: You lose the secondary effect of your moves, but their power increases by 33%. Not the best ability in the world, honestly I'd prefer something like Flame Body, but it works well with Darmantian's moveset.
Zen Mode: This ability is interesting, it changes Darumakka into Hihidarumakka when it's HP is below 50% giving your pokemon more weaknesses and eliminating none, not a good ability at all, stick with sheer force.

Smogon standard Tentacruel can be OHKOed after Stealth Rocks from Choice Banded Flare Blitz. Kingdra can be safely 2HKOed. Latios and Hippowdon are always OHKOed after rocks.

This thing hits like a nuke, but its relatively slow and extremely frail. Flare Blitz recoil and Stealth Rock damage will rack up quickly. Hes not a good choice in OU but its hard to find a safe switch in for Life Orb sets.